The present invention relates in general to bulk material containers, and more particularly to a bulk material container having a flexible liner for containing bulk material.
Heretofore, bulk material containers were filled with bulk material, such as grease, and were shipped to users. The user removed the grease from the bulk material container using a wiping type follower and a pump or the like. As a consequence thereof, a film of grease remained on the inner wall of the shell of the container, on the underside of the follower and on the bottom wall of the container. This resulted in a loss of usable material and also resulted in the contamination of the inner wall of the shell, the underside of the follower and the bottom wall of the container with hazardous material.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 3,468,451, to Coleman, issued on Sept. 23, 1969, for Container With Disposable Liner, there is disclosed a flexible tubular liner disposed within a container for storing and transporting fluid material. One end of the liner projects through an opening at the top of the container.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,590,888, to Coleman, issued on July 6, 1971, for Composite Container And Method Of Handling Fluent Materials, discloses a flexible bag disposed in a container. Fluent material is admitted into the bag. The material in the bag is discharged through a nozzle by forcing gas into the space between the wall of the container and the bag.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,471,892, to Coleman, issued on Sept. 18, 1984, for Material Container Having A Flexible Follower, discloses a bulk material container having a follower disposed on the upper surface of the bulk material contained by the bulk material container. During the removal of bulk material from the container, the follower moves downwardly in continuous engagement with the upper surface of the bulk material for applying a uniform downward force on the bulk material.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,532,800, to Coleman, issued on Aug. 6, 1985, for a Level Indicator For Liquid Container With A Follower, discloses a bulk material container. Disposed within the container is a follower. The height of the follower within the container varies with the level of the flowable bulk material stored in the container.
In the patent to Coleman, U.S. Pat. No. 4,552,090, issued on Nov. 12, 1985, for Bulk Material Container With A Rigid Follower, there is disclosed a floatable rigid follower disposed within the container. The height of the follower within the container varies with the level of flowable material stored in the container.
In the patent to Coleman, U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,227, for A Bulk Material Container With A Flexible Liner, there is disclosed a flexible liner with a bottom outlet opening disposed within a container. The assignee U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,227, is the assignee of the present application.
The patent to Guest, U.S. Pat. No. 2,074,959, issued on Mar. 23, 1937, for Fuel Tank Gauge, discloses a follower disposed in a receptacle. Bellows are attached at the lower end thereof to the follower. The follower plate is held down under pressure against the fuel so that the fuel will be accurately measured at all times.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 4,280,637, to Runciman, issued on July 28, 1981, for Constant Feed Device, there is disclosed an apparatus in which a pressure applying piston applies pressure to a flexible bag containing a parenteral fluid.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 3,494,509, to McGuire, issued on June 13, 1966, for Variable Volume Reservoir, there is disclosed a variable volume tank for storing and dispensing jellied fuel. The variable volume tank has an upper panel and a lower panel disposed in contacting relation with pressure plates. The pressure plates effect a pressure in the fuel contained within the tank. The panels are operatively connected to flexible side walls for compression of the fluid within the tank.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,829, for Container With Inflatable Vessel For Controlling Flow Of Liquid Or Viscous Material, there is disclosed a bulk material container. In the bulk material container is disposed an inflatable vessel. Also disposed in the container above the inflatable vessel is a compressible vessel containing a product to be disposed. Between the inflatable vessel and the compressible vessel is disposed a generally rigid disc. The assignee of said U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,829, is the assignee of the present application.